International Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances 6(2): 52-57, 2014
ISSN: 2041-2894; e-ISSN: 2041-2908
© Maxwell Scientific Organization, 2014
Submitted: July 10, 2012
Accepted: November 01, 2012
Published: April 20, 2014
Determination of Browse Intake and Nutrient Digestibility of Grazing West African Dwarf
(WAD) Goats Fed Varying Levels of Gmelina arborea Leaves as Supplements
in Delta State Nigeria
O. Okpara, P.O. Akporhuarho and G.O. Okagbare
Department of Animal Science, Delta State University, Asaba Campus, Asaba, Nigeria
Abstract: The Research was carried out to assess the browse intake and nutrient digestibility of grazing West
African Dwarf (WAD) goats fed varying levels of Gmelina arborea leaves as supplement. Which produces
appreciable amount of forage even at the peak of the dry season in the tropics, thereby ensuring all year round
supply of follage and fodder. Thirty growing West Africa Dwarf (WAD) goats were used to dertermine the level of
browse intake and nutrient diggestibility by goats fed verying levels Gmelina arborea leaves as supplement. The
goats were randomly divided into five groups of six animal per group. Goats in Treatment A were fed commercial
growers mash, at 0.50 kg, Treatment B were fed 0.25 kg of Gmelina arborea leaves, Treatment C were fed 0.50 kg
of Gmelina arborea leaves, Treatment D 0.75 kg and Treatment E 1.00 kg of Gmelina arborea leaves. Data were
collected for thirteen weeks on browse intake and nutrient digestibility. Chemical analysis showed significantly
(p<0.05) higher crude protein and lower crude fibre content in Gmelina arborea leaves than both grass Pennisetum
purpurem and growers mash. The values observed for growers mash for Nitrogen free extract and ether extract were
higher than those observed in Gmelina arborea leaves and elephant grass. Significant differences (p<0.05)existed
for values recorded by the goats fed the different experimental diets. Goats fed Diet E had the highest (p<0.05)
browse intake than Goat fed Diet D and C. Goat fed Diet B recorded the least significant (p<0.05) quantity of
browse intake. Dry matter digestibility values as well as the crude protein difestibility were appreciably high for all
animal fed the experimental diets. The goats fed diet E had the highest crude fibre digestibility followed by goats fed
diest A and that of D, B and C respectively. Therefore, the study suggested 0.5 kg inclusion of Gmelina arborea
leaves in the diet of grazing WAD goats as the optimum level for better performance.
Keywords: Browse intake, determination, grazing, goat, Gmelina arborea, nutrient digestibility, supplements
to avoid crop damage. Francis (1988) reported that
some flocks were controlled by tethering to avoid crop
damage during the cropping season in South East
Nigeria. Adoeye (1984) reported that small ruminant
production has been integrated with alley cropping by
cut and carry feeding of a portion of the tree foliage, or
at a some what, higher management level, by grazing
the natural fallow re-growth and tree during periodic
fallow years. Okagbare et al. (2004) showed that
Gmelina arborea leaves are rich source of protein with
high content of protein (22.29%) and high ash (6.28%).
This high nitrogen content of these tree species
contributes to improving the nutritional quality of the
diet of grazing ruminants (Adoeye, 1984).
Osakwe and Smith (2004) reported that there have
been few grazing trials in the country to determine
productivity of pasture and small ruminant
performance, they suggested the planting of browse
species such as Leucaena leucocephala, Gliricidia
sepium and Gmelina arborea as hedgerows of alleys in
native or productive permanent grass species may
overcome the constraint to animal production caused by
lack of fodder in the dry season.
INTRODUCTION
The problem of seasonal fluctuation in both quality
and quantity of animal feed in the tropics calls for
exploration of some variety of multipurpose tree and
shrubs abundant all the year round in the region in order
to determine their suitability for livestock feeding. Due
to the non availability of pasture lands, more attention
is now being given to tree leaves and shrubs for feeding
sheep and goats in most areas of the World (Ayuk
et al., 2007).
In Nigeria, heavy weight loss and
high mortality in goat due to lack of forage during the
dry season are common in livestock farms.
Multipurpose trees and shrubs fodders are important
feed resources for bridging the seasonal deficit in feed
quantity and quality (Okagbare et al., 2005a, b). One of
the modification strategies advocated for the typical
free roaming characteristics of animals in the traditional
system is the tethering feeding method which confines
the animals within a restricted location for grazing
(Otchere and Kallah, 1990). Available information by
Ogebe (2000) and Ogebe et al. (1999) indicates that the
tethering feeding system is used to restrain the animals
Corresponding Author: O. Okpara, Department of Animal Science, Delta State University, Asaba Campus, Asaba, Nigeria
52
Int. J. Anim. Veter. Adv., 6(2): 52-57, 2014
Sansacy and Emery (1982) suggested that in order
to reduce competition between man and livestock for
feeding stuffs, non conventional feed ingredients should
be exploited and used for livestock feeding. Hence, this
study is aim at evaluating browse intake and nutrient
digestibility of WAD goats.
served daily and the leftover as the trial lasted. The
goats weighed individually once a week, to determine
the live weight change. The samples or experimental
diets were collected during the experiment for Dry
Matter (DM) determination and chemical analysis. The
samples were weighed and dried and then stored for
proximate and fibre component analysis. At the 13th
week of the study four animals from each experiment
group were selected and place in metabolic cages to
determine the nutrient digestibility of the goats.
Samples of feeds were analyzed for their proximate
composition using the procedures of the AOAC (1990).
Data generated were analyzed using SAS Institute
(1985) and treatment mean were separated using
Duncan’s multiple range test (Duncan, 1955).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study was conducted at the Goat unit of the
Teaching and Research Farm of the Department of
Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Delta State
University, Asaba Campus. Delta State falls within the
humid tropics of Nigeria and Asaba precisely lies
between Longitudes 6 °E and 8 °E and Latitudes 06 °49
North of the Equator. Asaba has its raining season from
March to September with a mean annual rainfall of
1500-1849.3 mm. It has a moderate climate with very
high temperature during the dry season (OctoberFebruary) with its mean annual temperature and
precipitation of 28°C±6°C and 117 mm, respectively.
Asaba metrological station 2011.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The results of the chemical composition of
Gmelina arborea leaves, Pennisetum purpureum and
growers mash are shown in Table 1. The crude protein
content of Pennisetum purpureum (11.38%) and
growers’ mash (16.63%) recorded lower values
compared with Gmelina arborea leaves (19.26%). The
values observed for crude fibre were significantly
(p<0.05) higher for Pennisetum purpureum (24.00%)
than values recorded for Gmelina (11.00%) and
growers mash (7.50%).
The values recorded for growers mash for nitrogen
free extract (58.71%) and ether extract (2.00%) were
higher (p<0.05) than those observed in Gmelina for
nitrogen free extract (12.84%) and ether extract
(0.50%), while the values observed for elephant grass
for nitrogen free extract (10.91%) and ether extract
(1.00%) were lower (p<0.05). The energy content of
feeds was determined using the ballistic bomb
calorimeter.
Table 2 shows the values recorded for the weekly
browse intake (on dry matter basis) by the grazing goats
fed varying levels of Gmelina arborea leaves.
Significant differences (p<0.05) existed among values
recorded for the average weekly browse intake. Goats
fed diet E (1.00 kg) Gmelina arborea leaves had the
highest (p<0.05) browse intake with average daily
Experimental animals: Thirty growing male and
female West African Dwarf goats of 6-11 months of
age, weighing 12 -22.5 kg were used for the study and
it was verified by using the dentition estimation method
(Sastry and Thomas, 1980). The goats were
individually divided into five groups of six goats per
treatment (one per replicant). Groups A were fed
commercial growers mash at 0.50 kg/goat, group B
were fed Gmelina arborea leaves at 0.25 kg/goat, group
C were fed 0.50 kg/ goat, while group D were fed 0.75
kg/ goat and group E were fed Gmelina arborea leaves
at 1.00 kg/goat.
The Gmelina arborae leaves were harvested fresh
without regards to the age of the leaves and offered to
goats. Prior to serving new feed and water, the remnant
of the Gmelina arborea leaves in each pen was weighed
daily before washing and dissecting the pen floor.
At 9am hour every day the goats were taken out for
grazing in the paddock. After grazing for five hours
daily the goats were brought back to their treatment
pens. The feeding trial lasted for 90 days. Weighing
was done once a week in the morning before they were
taking out for grazing.
The goats were generally observed during the
feeding trial and the quality of the daily feeds provided
for each animal was recorded, while remnants of the
previous day feed were individually weighed to
determine the daily feed intake of each animal.
Table 1: Chemical composition (%) of experimental diet
Gmelina
Elephant
Growers
Nutrients
leaf
grass
mash
Dry matter
52.75
60.62
90.84
Crude protein
19.26
11.38
16.63
Crude fibre
11.00
24.00
7.50
Ash
9.15
13.33
6.00
Ether extract
0.50
1.00
2.00
Nitrogen free extract
12.84
10.91
58.71
Neutral detergent fibre
59.72
68.14
Not
determined
Acid detergent fibre
41.28
47.26
Not
determined
Gross energy (kcal/g
3.05
3.65
3.95
Dm)
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Data were collected on feed intake; feed intake was
calculated as the difference between amount of feed
53
Int. J. Anim. Veter. Adv., 6(2): 52-57, 2014
Table 2: Shows the browse intake of grazing WAD goats fed varying levels of Gmelina arborea leaves as supplement
Gmelina arborea leaves (kg)
Weeks
Control and growers ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------wks
mash TA
TB
TC
TD
TE
S.E.
1
2.80b
1.52b
2.35b
4.57a
6.13a
0.48
2
2.80b
1.72c
2.33b
4.55a
4.72a
0.33
3
2.62b
1.70c
2.62b
4.70a
4.84a
0.35
b
b
b
a
a
4
2.40
1.58
1.88
3.55
3.80
0.26
5
2.32b
1.63c
2.63b
4.22a
4.58a
0.31
6
2.07b
1.97a
2.33ab
3.80a
3.12ab
0.27
b
b
b
a
a
7
2.03
1.75
2.33
3.98
3.90
0.29
8
2.22b
1.75b
2.43b
4.62a
5.27a
0.39
9
1.72b
1.75b
2.23b
4.43a
4.43a
0.36
10
2.35bc
1.75c
2.83b
5.12a
5.43a
0.41
11
2.57bc
1.70c
2.95b
4.92a
4.98a
0.37
12
1.95bc
1.63c
2.17b
5.12a
4.67a
0.39
13
2.38c
1.75c
2.98c
4.85a
3.98ab
0.34
Within each row, means with different superscripts are significantly different (p<0.05) a,b,c; TA = Treatment A (0.50 kg commercial grower
mash; TB = Treatment B (0.25 kg Gmelina arborea leaves supplementation); TC = Treatment C (0.50 kg Gmelina arborea leaves
supplementation); TD = Treatment D (0.75 kg Gmelina arborea leaves supplementation); TE = Treatment E (1.00 kg Gmelina arborea leaves
supplementation); WAD = West African Dwarf goat SE = Standard Error as control)
Table 3: Nutrient digestibility (%) by grazing WAD goats fed varying levels of Gmelina leaves as supplements
Parameters
A feeds
B 25%
C 50%
D75%
Dry matter
76.1c
71.1a
76.5c
78.6d
c
c
a
Crude protein
83.1
73.2b
70.4
70.8ab
Crude fibre
69.0bc
55.1a
46.6a
66.8b
Ether extract
69.3c
67.7c
33.0b
22.1b
c
b
c
Nitrogen free extract
60.0
26.6
32.2b
45.2b
Acid detergent fibre
82.2a
80.4c
88.4c
Neutral detergent fibre
79.4b
79.4b
48.6c
a, b, c, d values on the same row with identical superscript are not significantly (p>0.05) different
browse intake of 0.88 kg per animal than goat fed
treatment D. diet, (0.75 kg) Gmelina arborea leaves
with average daily browse intake of 0.65 kg per animal.
However, they recorded average weekly total browse
intake of 3.98 kg per animal in group E and 4.88 kg per
animal in group D. While the goats fed diet C (0.50 kg)
Gmelina arborea leaves recorded average daily browse
intake of 0.34 kg per animal with average weekly total
browse intake of 2.98 kg per animal. But goats fed diet
B representing (0.25 kg) Gmelina Arborea leaves
recorded the least (p<0.05) quantity of browse intake
with average daily browse intake of 0.22 kg per animal
and average weekly total browse intake of 1.75 kg per
animal.
The goats fed diet A (0.50 kg) commercial growers
mash recorded average daily feed intake of 0.40 kg per
animal with average weekly total feed intake 2.38 kg
per animal during the experimental period.
The results of nutrient digestibility are presented in
Table 3. The dry matter digestibility as well as the
crude protein digestibility was appreciably high for all
the experimental animals. Goats in treatment B had a
mean crude protein digestibility of 73.20%. Goat in
treatment D had 70.80%, followed closely by goats in
treatment C with mean crude protein digestibility of
70.40%. Goats in diet A recorded higher (p<0.05) crude
protein digestibility.
The group fed with diet E had highest crude fibre
digestibility value of 73.50%, followed by those fed on
E 100%
74.1b
74.1c
73.5bc
10.3a
14.3a
85.2ab
76.6ab
SEM
1.90
2.73
2.80
2.90
2.70
0.71
1.20
diets A, (69.00%) and that of D (66.89%), B (55.10%)
and C (46.60%) respectively. The goats on diet C had
the highest N-intake of 24.70g/day followed by those
on diets C (23.OOg/day), D (19.2 oglday), B (1 2.90
g/day) and A (1 2.6 oglday), respectively.
Browse plants as excellent fodder are generally
richer than grasses in protein and minerals, although
information on their chemical compositions is scanty.
Recently the use of browse plant supplementation with
grasses has however assumed great importance in the
tropics.
Gmelina arborea leaves used in this study, showed
premiss as feed for goats, due to the high crude protein
content. The crude protein value 19.26% obtained in
Gmelina leaves in this study is comparable with
previously reported values by earlier workers
(Okagbare et al., 2004; Onabarijo and Onwuka, 1998).
The crude protein of Gmelina arborea leaves obtained
in this study is similar to crude protein content values
reported for other browse plants such as Albizia Iebbeck
-22.3, Gliridia sipum 24.7, Leucaena leucocephala
23.8, Parkia biglobosa 17.9, Interolibium cyclocarpum
19.0 and Verminia guoygdalina 29.1 (Babyemi et al.,
2005). The crude protein value in this study also
compares favourably with the crude protein values of
some foliage crops that have been evaluated and
integrated into ruminant feeding. They include
Bamibpsa vulgaris, 22.38%, Mangefera indica 15.13%
and Newbouldia leavis 15.57% respectively by
Ikhimioya (2005).
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Int. J. Anim. Veter. Adv., 6(2): 52-57, 2014
This high crude protein in the diets has been
considered as an important factor in ruminant’s diet
because free choice intake of feed by animals is
increased by the increase in crude protein content of the
diet.
The value of 19.26% crude protein in this present
study was far above 7% recommended for tropical
livestock by Minson (1990) below which there will be a
deficiency in performance. The crude protein of
Gmelina in this study is also higher than those reported
by Okagbare and Brattle (1999) for the leaves of Parkia
filicoidea and by Gall (1981) for the leaves of Opunita
ficusindica, Opunita linduelmeri, Opunita enjelami.
The crude protein obtained in this study are also higher
than other browse plants reported by Babyemi et al.
(2005), for Acacia ferrimginea (14.0), Acacia fistula
(12.9), Feltophorum pheracarpum (11.6) and Albizia
samen (11.2). The crude protein and the ash content in
this study is higher than that of the control diet
(treatment A) which makes the plants under study
richer in minerals and vitamins and serves as complete
fodder for livestocks.
It is quite obvious that the browse plant under
study (Gmelina arborea) has a high potential compared
to other available browse plants, as sources of feed
supplement for ruminants with regards to their chemical
compositions, most especially the high crude protein
levels. This is of great importance in helping to
checkmate the problem of weight loss in ruminant
livestock management which is common during the dry
season, when the quality of available grasses would
have dropped drastically.
As shown in Table 2 significant differences
(p<0.05) existed among values recorded for the average
weekly browse intake. Goats on diet B (0.25 kg)
Gmelina leaves recorded the least quantity of browse
intake 1.75 kg per animal. This agrees with earlier
works of Ademusum et al. (1985) and Ifut (1992) that
when the proportion of Panicum maximum in the diet of
Gliricidia was increased, dry matter digestibility fell.
This is as a result of inadequate supplementation of the
browse leaves in this study; goats on this treatment
were
not
getting
enough
Gmelina
leaves
supplementation. This in turn slow their growth
rate/weight increase reported by Castillo et al. (2001)
that, average daily weight gain was affected by proteinenergy levels in the diets. The tendency for lower
growth rate at each level of protein supplementation
could be due partly to low intake of energy. However,
goats on diet C (0.50 kg) GmeIina arborea leaves
recorded average weekly total browse intake of 2.98 kg
per animal.
As reported by the Agricultural Research Council
(1985) that the presence of a fermentable energy source
in the diet allows high nitrogen feeds such as GIiricdia
and Leucanna to be utilized more efficiently, the
optimum level of Gmelina arborea leaves 0.50 kg
supplementation in this study was well utilized by the
goats. The browse intake in this diet was absolute, goats
were gaining weight, dry matter digestibility was high
compare to diet B in supplementation of diet C at this
level of 0.50 kg intake of Gmelina arborea leaves
which represent the optimum level of browse intake to
grazing goats in this study compared favourably with
report of GmeIina arborea leaves as reported earlier by
Okagbare et al. (2004); They stated that when Gmelina
arborea leaves was supplemented with Panicum
maximum and Pennise.tum purpureum with the browse
constituting 50-52% of total dry matter intake, weight
gain was enhance by the goats. In a similar study with
other browse plant (Aina, 1998) reported that
Tephrosial induces better weight gain and feed
conversion efficiency in sheep and goat in Tephrosial
elephant grass mixture.
Goats fed diet E 1.00 kg Gmelina arborea leaves
had the highest (p<0.05) browse intake with average
weekly total browse intake of 3.98 kg per animal, than
goat fed group D diet 0.75 kg Gmelina leaves with
average weekly total browse intake of 4.88 kg per
animal. Goats on this treatment have the highest browse
intake but they consistently lost weight. This is in
agreement with Okagbare and Bratte (1999) which
stated that though the dry matter intake by goats fed
Gmelina leaves was high, the goats consistently lost
weight, which then attributed to inadequate energy
intake of goats fed Gmelina leaves. In earlier studies,
higher level of browse intake as reported by Akingbade
et al. (2004) stated that the sole use of Gliricidia setium
was responsible for the lower overall weight loss of
goats, which agrees with the trend also observed for
goats fed 1.00 kg and 0.75 kg GmeIina arborea leaves
inclusion in the diet used in this study in which all the
goats lost weight.
The works of Aina (1998) and Bamikole and
Babayemi (2004) further stressed the effect of high
level of browse leaves in goats diets which the findings
of this study confirmed. They had reported that none of
the Multipurpose Trees and Shrubs (MPTS) may be
able to Support a profitable goat production when used
as a sole feed, because at this high level of browse
intake, there was always a weight loss in all the
experimental animals, which agrees with the findings
on goats fed treatments E and D in this study where all
the animals lost weight consistently. However, they
suggested that multipurpose trees and shrubs will be
more profitably utilized as supplements at a reduced
level of inclusion in animal diets, but they did not
establish their fact with any optimum level.
This study, therefore established the optimum level
of 0.50 kg of Gmelina arborea leaves (browse intake)
supplementation to adult grazing goats, were all treated
animals gained weight at a total average weekly weight
of 1.13 kg at the end of the experiment.
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Int. J. Anim. Veter. Adv., 6(2): 52-57, 2014
The digestibility values as shown in Table 3 were
fairly high in all the treatments. This high level of dry
matter (76.50%), ether extract (33.O0%) and nitrogen
free extract (32.20%) digestibility by goats in treatment
C (0.50 kg) Gmelina arborea leaves enhanced the
performance of goats on this treatment inspite of the.
high crude protein digestibility recorded (70.40%).
The high ash content of Gmelina arborea leaves in
this study 9.15% is comparable with report from earlier
study by Okagbare et al. (2004). This high content of
dry matter, crude protein and energy content suggests
that Gmelina arborea leaves may serve as a complete
fodder for livestock because they are rich in protein and
minerals. This high nutrient content digestibility is in
agreement with earlier study by Ayoade et al. (1998)
that the nutrients of the leaves of Tephrosia
braceteolata were highly digestible and resulted in
some appreciable live weight changes of 0.047 kg/day.
While in a Panicum maximum plus Gliricidia diet, dry
matter digestibility fell as the proportion of Panicum
maximum in the diet increased Ademusum et al. (1985)
and Ifut (1992). This implies that there must be an
optimum level of browse/grass supplementation which
this study tend to address, that for adult grazing goats
0.50 kg Gmelina leaves is the optimum to be fed on
daily basis as supplement. The weight lost as stated by
Okagbare and Bratte (1999) was due to inadequate
energy intake by goats. The presence of a fermentable
energy source in the diet allows high nitrogen feed such
as Gliricidia and Leucaena to be utilized more
efficiently, (Agricultural Research Council, 1985).
Based on these experiments, a small amount of sun
dried cassava peels (50 g/day) could be ideal as a
supplement to Gliricidia and Leucaena which is in
agreement with the optimum level of 0.50 kg of
Gmelina arborea leaves in this study. However certain
inherent substances in many of the browse trees limit
their use as forage for ruminants when they exceed
threshold levels (Jabbar et al., 1997).
Poppi and McLennan (1995) reported that proteinrich supplements cannot be effectively utilized in the
rumen when energy sources are not available. In
addition, Castillo et al. (2001) reported that average
daily weight gain is affected by protein - energy levels
in diets and the tendency for lower growth rate at each
level of protein supplementation is due partly to low
intake of energy. The finding of this study, for goats fed
at 0.75 kg and 1.00 kg although had high protein
digestibility, but all goats lost weight consistently.
These findings may therefore be attributed to probable
inadequate protein energy balance in these diets, this
corroborating the reports of Poppi and McLennan
(1995) and Castillo et al. (2001).
will improve the dry matter intake and nutrient
digestibility of goats. This study also suggested 0.50 kg
of Gmelina arborea leaves in the diet of grazing goats
as the optimum, were all the animal were gaining
weight.
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